West Meets East©

By Caroline Patrick

We Are the Environment in Sickness and in Health

The North Winds have arrived in the Pacific Northwest. Early morning fogs hangs low over the Guemes Straits waterway, which winds through the mystic San Juan Islands and eventually joins the waters of the Pacific Ocean. Oil tankers, fishing vessels, barges, state and private ferries and water taxies busily go about their business, while private sailboats, charter ships and yachts vacation in one of the most beautiful, scenic spots on earth.

As the weather changes, the locals bundle up to keep warm, and smile as the masses of visitors go home for the winter months and locals reclaim their lands and forest. The fog horns sound their mournful music in the late night, a type of strange water-travel language, known only to the captains of the constantly moving traffic in the channels.

Each main island has its own energy, and thousands of people migrate to the Northwest to experience its special Chi or flow of energy. Whether they have arrived here for pleasure or job change, it is a unique place to experience. Water Chi is special as it brings comfort and calming to those needing clarity of mind and healing. That is why a Water view is often a remedy for stress, why a watercolor painting is loved by certain people, and Water restores harmony when Water sources are in balance; whereas too much Water can create havoc!

In ancient times, any civilization which survived had Water and Wind in balance, as the wind gently stirs the Water and, in turn, nurtures nature in all forms. Structures were built in the “arm chairs” of the lands, giving protection to their inhabitants, and life was good. Crops, food, animals and humans lived in comfort with their surroundings.

Today most of us don’t have a water view, live on a proper-shaped lot, or have continued success. Using Feng Shui, or the art of looking at your home and business floor plans and adjusting the lot you have already built on, is a more realistic conception of how most of us live.

Real estate, as most of us know, has been booming for several years and now seems to be slowing some. I have received several calls in the last few weeks with questions on how to sell their property. So this tells me the market has slowed once again, and now Feng Shui education is needed to boost the energies of your prosperity.

Somewhere, somehow, Feng Shui became to be known as a religion. Feng Shui has never been a religion. Many cultures have successful ways of building their villages and cities, which is an art in itself. Not placing toilet facilities next to granaries or building structures too close to waterways or storing firewood in the rain is an explanation of bad placement or bad Feng Shui. Feng Shui is the acupuncture of a dwelling or land.

When land becomes overcrowded, overpopulated and neglected, people, animals, green, lush plants and crops diminish, and the destructive cycle of the Elements swing the other way. Stress, a colorless house, a toilet backed up to a wall with a bed on the other side, can cause strange, undiagnosed illnesses. I continue to educate clients and mentor students about our responsibility to the environment. Finding healthy solutions for our homes, bodies and minds begins at the cellular level. Next pay attention to the design detail of your home and business buildings, especially the bedroom where healing begins.

Recently I found a retired gentleman sleeping with his head within inches from the outlet power box to which all the electrical circuits for the large home converged! According to the wife, his personality had dramatically changed since sleeping under this utility box. She had always felt uncomfortable in this room and spent most of her sleeping hours in another bedroom. Bedrooms which protrude outward in front of the entry door are a Feng Shui no-no. These floor plan designs place you “in the street” or a Yang daytime position. A floor plan with this design gives the person entering a tired feeling as soon as the bed is seen. A better choice for this room would be an office or library. The placements of your bed, desk and stove in your home have a large impact on the residents’ health and wellbeing. “Thank your lucky stars,” as they say, for the knowledge of Feng Shui is truly a gift that changes your life. There are ways to “fix” these house problems and keep the energy flowing in your body and home. Please give me a call if you are experiencing difficulty that can’t be explained.

Please visit www.fengshuiartistry.com and click on www.moongateschool.com for current local and out-of-state class schedules in Feng Shui, Art and Medicine making with Herbs. Caroline is available for teaching and speaking engagements.

Caroline lives in the Northwest Region of the US, called The Puget Sound in Washington State. She is a Feng Shui Practitioner, writer, author and artist. She gives workshops in Feng Shui, Elements of Art, private mentoring for serious students, lectures and writes for newspapers. She combines teaching and traveling to other locations, here and abroad. Her 2007 schedule includes workshop and classes in the Northwest, Southwest, Midwest and Alaska. She is available speaking, teaching and consultations.

Please consult your physician for physical problems as this article only gives ideas and suggestions. Caroline is not responsible for anyone using these suggested plants or advice for cures or healing any problem either medical or Feng Shui claims. This column and article is for entertainment only. Please seek help from a qualified physician, naturopath, herbalist or other certified person for treatment.

Caroline Patrick Caroline's Feng Shui Concepts Mt. Vernon, WA 360-424-1501

caroline@fengshuiartistry.com www.fengshuiartistry.com

www.moongateschool.com